Questions I Got Over At FB and My Answers: Part One

So over at FB people write me questions from time to time privately. In case you aren’t over there with us (and a lot of you are not, and I get it, we don’t need another comment on how you don’t do FB) I thought it would be interesting to place them here. I am


Chuck Taylors Are Magnetic North For Ivy

That’s a great drawing of Chuck Taylors, right? So classic, in fact, that there is even a video that will teach you how to draw them. So The Amazing Tom sent me an article from the Wall Street Journal (it is pay walled) about alternatives to Chuck Taylors. It is written by Nathan Taylor Pemberton


For Online Shoppers

I got an ad in my FB feed from Brooks offering amazing deals, and I should have known better. So I went to the site and put a bunch of stuff in my cart, but the process was a little hinky so I clicked on about us and… I’m no expert but… Just an advisory


The Scent Of Madras (not the city or the fabric).

We used to have a boat. The guy that sold it to me was named Harvey. We looked at a lot of boats before we settled on one, and every time we went below I held my breath like a pearl diver because Harvey wore this cologne that you had to squint to see through.


“The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same.”

Julia Harris from the FB Group, reprinted with permission. Julia posted this on the FB group and I thought it was an interesting question for here as well: Julia Harris  This is a picture my partner took of me 6 years ago, well after I grew familiar with tailoring but well before I had even


In Remembrance

The cover photo, and the photo below, are of Memorial Day parades in 1955, the cover is Texas, the one below is Pennsylvania. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” – JFK


RIFFS by G. Bruce Boyer

RIFFS by G. Bruce Boyer is available on Amazon. G. Bruce Boyer G. Bruce Boyer has had, without debate, the greatest career in men’s fashion journalism. For those of you new to Ivy and this site, Mr. Boyer’s resume’ reads something like this: Fashion Editor/GQ. Fashion Editor/Esquire. Fashion Editor/Town & Country. Eight books before RIFFS.





Jay Butler Has Taken Away Your Last Excuse

The recent reviews of Jay Butler shoes in the comments on the site have been great to read. You have to start with this. Jay Butler shoes look like loafers and wear like moccasins. That is because they are constructed differently. They are crazy durable (been two years, wear mine at least 4 times a


Women’s Ivy: A Packing List for Summer Travels (Plus Tips)

Memorial Day–and summer travels–are fast approaching. At one point in my life, I spent most summer weekends away from home. (This was when I lived in D.C.—I don’t miss that humidity!) As I refused to check a bag and did not use wheeled suitcases, creating the perfect packing list was a goal of mine. My


PennBilt Is In The Details

To learn more about PennBilt (not advertisers yet, but I am working on them) go here. They have created fantastic product. In response to the comments, Bill wrote you and the site: “Hey Fellas,Bill Thomas here. Thanks for these comments! I thought I’d weigh in on a few overriding themes. First, the rise. Our measurement


Women’s Ivy: Staples for a Summer Wardrobe

One of the most requested posts from the Ivy Style readership is a guide to a woman’s trad wardrobe. There is no definitive list of the clothes that make up women’s Ivy Style, and this isn’t one either. Rather, my list speaks to my own preferences within this style tradition. This installment is the first


A Brief History Of Alden

Editor’s Note: Special thank you to James Taylor of Waterhollow Tweed, a site you should check out. ALDEN SHOE COMPANY Alden was founded in Middleborough, Mass. in 1884. Like most shoe companies at the time Alden made shoes using the Goodyear welt method. This was a machine process for making shoes, which was supplanting the


New Authenticity – PennBilt From Bill of Bills Khakis

From William Thomas: “To add context to PennBilt, Bills Khakis was based on the replication of an original WWII khaki, therefore “authenticity” was the origin point for BK. PennBilt draws from that heritage and evolves that sensibility where design and customer preferences live today.  This is why I describe PennBilt as the ‘New Authentic.’ If


Women’s Ivy: Five Mother’s Day Gift Suggestions She Will Actually Love

Mother’s Day is just around the corner (Sunday, May 14th, for those who need a reminder). I’ve always found gift-giving for this holiday particularly difficult. How can a mere gift show your mother, or the mother figures in your life, how much you appreciate them? Today in the Women’s Ivy column, I’m sharing five gifts


An Affirmation Of The Masculine By St Johns

I read through this post on St John’s site. It is very well done. I’ve talked to Rhys about the decision to use the tagline Unapologetically Masculine. It is completely thought out, but a risk. AND IT IS WORKING. And I guess my question for the comments is – at what point do we get